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F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 8
D
espite general investor indifference
to resource stocks, new mines are
coming on stream in Canada and
several new mineral discoveries are poised
to enter the development pipeline. Here's
a wrap-up of some of the more interest-
ing projects that actually sparked investor
interest in 2017.
Commercial production was achieved at
the Pretium Resources Inc. [PVG-TSX,
NYSE] Brucejack gold mine in July 2017,
a project that has undergone multiple
exploration phases for close to half a cen-
tury. In late 2010, Pretium was formed to
acquire and develop the Brucejack explo-
ration project which was advanced to full
feasibility by June 2013, leading to a pro-
duction decision approximately two years
later.
Brucejack is an underground gold
mine located 65 km north of Stewart, in
northwest British Columbia which has a
long history of gold and copper mining.
The project benefits from a year-round,
all-weather access road that connects the
mine to Highway 37 and its operations and
camps are fully grid-powered, with diesel
backup available.
Brucejack employs long-hole stoping
using a combination of longitudinal and
transverse mining depending on zone
width and orientation. The ore is crushed
underground and conveyed to surface
where the fully-enclosed mill produces
gold-silver doré bars and flotation concen-
trate. The tailings are mixed with cement
and used as paste backfill in underground
voids; the remainder is pumped to the
lower depths of Brucejack Lake.
Processing rate is 2,700 tonnes per day
with a projected mine life of 18 years based
on existing reserves of 8.7 million ounces
gold. For the first eight years, annual mine
production is scheduled to be 504,000
ounces based on an average gold grade of
Top Mining Stories of 2017
The Venture Exchange was not on fire; however, there were
a number of solid project advancements last year.
by David Duval
